


it's a long road (but we're not alone)

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Series: A Thousand Lives [11]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Fluff, Levi Has Heterochromia Iridum, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Prince Eren, Princes & Princesses, Witch Levi, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 16:12:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7514758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>prompt: Eren accidentally drinks a love potion and falls for Levi</p><p>--</p><p>His skin was painted in silver and gold, and Eren was surprised to see the witch’s runes written there. Their healer’s had often been witches, though they never seemed to stay long. Eren wondered what had happened to bring the man to them.</p><p>Almost as if hearing his thoughts, Levi looked up, and promptly erased any and all focus Eren had had on his mother’s words. The stranger’s eyes bore into him, and Eren was suddenly struck with the memory of a boy hidden behind a witch, an eye of silver and another of the whitest of clouds.</p><p>He would never forget those eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's a long road (but we're not alone)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Themoonshalldie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Themoonshalldie/gifts).



> The third and final present for Themoonshalldie's birthday~ I kinda butchered the prompt since I hate the concept of love potions but I hope you like it <3

They are boys when they first meet, bones still stretching to new heights, muscle coming in where before there was only the softness of baby fat. Eren is wide eyed and eager, clutching at his mother’s skirts as she guides him through the crowded market. There are booths lining the streets, filled with small trinkets that gleam and flash in the sun. Wind Chimes sing soft songs, spurred on by the small winds that dart through the plaza. In the distance a goat bleats, and the bustle of voices nearly drowns it out. Among the busy scene the smell of herbs and food is strong, making his belly rumble eagerly, though he stays silent as his mother had told him to.

They were trying to avoid unwanted attention, she had said, pulling the hood of his cloak down over his face before doing the same to her own. Separated from their carriage and guards in a raid, she had ran with him in her arms, tearing her skirts so that she could run with the speed their people were renowned for. She’d ran until Eren could hear the way her breath wheezed out of her lungs, fast and rattling in the heat. He’d tried to tell her he could run on his own, that he could keep up, but she’d simply hushed him and continued on. They’d stopped once they’d come to a deep ditch, hiding in the mud and water inside of it for what had felt like hours to make sure they weren’t followed. Finally when the morning had come she’d crawled out with him at her side, muddy and wet but otherwise unharmed. Eren had been in awe of her strength, listening intently as she’d told him what they were to do. They were going to walk to the city. With their once fancy clothes torn and muddy, and their hoods up over their faces, no one would notice them. All Eren had to do was be quiet and follow and soon they would be safe in their palace once again.

He’d agreed, unable to do anything else, keeping his hands tight on her tattered skirt. She’d kissed his forehead before they’d began the long walk, smoothing his hair back.

 _You’re a brave boy,_ she’d said with a smile. _Your father will be proud._ He’d smiled back, though he hadn’t done much. Even now he was simply walking by her side, trying to follow the plan.

The noise of the crowd grew louder the deeper they went into the city, and soon they were in the heart of it all. There were booths here as well, though not many. The area was more for performances and festivities, not bartering. With no holiday or great occasion to celebrate, small crowds gathered in circles around various performers. There were men plucking at stringed instruments, women dancing in loose skirts that flashed their braceleted ankles, jugglers and men in face paint that made their audiences laugh in their playfulness. It made Eren excited, eager to watch, though the ache in his belly and the quick steps of his mother told him that he wouldn’t have time to do so. As royals they were good at standing out, but they were also good at blending in. Eren had been drilled in what to do should he ever get separated from the guards, trained in stealth and the art of appearing normal. With his mother by his side it was all the easier to slip into the role of unimportance, and they moved unseen through the crowds.

As they got to the center of the open space, the crowd grew larger, until Eren had to be careful not to knock into anyone. It grew cramped and harder to weave through and around people, their pace slowing. Eren looked around for the cause, struggling to see around the legs in front of him. He was still small, head just barely above his mother’s hip. It made trying to see frustrating, though he managed a few glimpses. It was a witch, he realized, eyes widening even further. A woman in dyed fabrics that gleamed brightly in the sun, gold painted onto her face and bared arms, tracing shapes into the revealed skin of her belly and down over her bare feet. Her brown hair was tied up in a cloth of rich red, her lips gleaming a similar crimson. Her eyes danced with the fire that sprung forth from her hands, and Eren almost let go of his mother’s skirts in his awe. A witch was not uncommon to find in their lands, as their kingdom was kind to all races. But still, Eren could never quite get used to the way they walked, silent and predatory like cats; or the way their eyes gleamed, as if they could see something no one else could. Most of all though, he could not get used to the paint that shone bright on their skin, or the way the elements rose to their calling like pets. His parents had always smiled at his curiosity, glad to see that he had no quarrel with those that were different, as some of the other boys did.

“Eren,” his mother said lowly, lowering a hand to his. “We must keep going. Don’t get distracted.”

Eren nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight even then. “Yes, mother,” he said, following after her blindly. They were almost out of the way and onto a side street when he saw that there was a boy behind the witch, hidden in the shadow of a towering building. He was dressed far darker than the woman, though his clothes too, were rich in dyes. His hair was bound in silver instead of crimson, garments a mix of dark colors that shone like polished stone. His body was painted simply, as the children of magic were ought to do. As they grew into themselves, the symbols would grow bigger, flashier, clothing brightening to draw attention to their skill. As if sensing that he was being watched, the boy looked up, and Eren nearly flinched when mismatched eyes met his own.

Looking back on it, Eren had known even then that he would never forget that stare. One iris so grey it shone like the silver wrapped around his head, the other so white there was no pupil to be seen.

His mother would tell him later that he had gone still and stiff for the rest of their journey, following after her numbly to retire to his room in the castle without a word. He let the servants bandage his feet, eating his supper without really tasting it. His father chalked it up to the shock of the attack, and let him retire with a mumbled goodnight, his mother’s worried eyes on him.

He slept deeply that night, and in his dreams a raven visited him. When Eren awoke he did not remember the raven’s eyes, nor the way they had watched him, far too bright and real for a dream.

He carried on in his duties.

* * *

The stories said that once Grisha Jeager had been a vengeful ruler.

 _His family’s death had done it_ , Eren heard them whisper. _Anyone would turn mad if they were left behind with nothing but the crown._

Alone in the castle, he had sought out the murderers with vengeance to stave his grief. When they were found, he ordered them back alive, wanting to stare into the faces of such evil. With the men came their prizes, and among them stood a woman. Defiant and strong willed, even with the chains of a slave around her wrists and the marks of abuse on her body. It is said that Grisha took one look at her and his vengeance was forgotten. He declared the murderers to be killed the following day, burned for their crimes, and ordered the woman-- _Carla, her name was Carla_ \--to be set free. He offered her a place in his kingdom, giving her a safe haven to recover from the horrors she had faced. Carla was said to have stayed for a year before leaving on a horse of the king’s to explore the world. She broke his heart when she left, and without vengeance to fall back on, it is said that Grisha turned to all that he had left, and made his kingdom great again. When Carla returned the fields flourished with crops, the streets lively with laughter and happiness and the castle bright even in its emptiness.

He proposed as soon as he saw her, the stories say. Just dropped to one knee and asked for her hand.

 _What happened then?_ Is always the question, and Eren smiles as he always does when he hears the answer.

_She said yes, of course. Pulled him up off the floor, called him a fool and gave him a kiss._

These are his parents.

* * *

Eren is just turning into a man when they next meet. He is tall now, no longer having to crane his head above those of others. His body is strong as well, shoulders wide and fat giving way to muscle. His skin is browned, a mix of sun and genetics that make him stand out in ceremonies that require the traditional paint on his skin. His hair, unlike his father’s, is short and wild around his ears. He’d tried to grow it out once, but found he could not stand the annoyance it proved to be. When he rode, it blew into his face. When he fought, it stuck to his neck and shoulders. When he danced, it covered his eyes and tangled in his jewlery. Tired of the hinderance he had chopped the long strands off, much to the disappointment of many. _Still,_ they said. _He was no less beautiful._

Eren cared little for their opinion.

He carried a sword at his hip now, the handle a polished gold that he ran his fingers over lovingly each night. It had been a gift from his father on his sixteenth birthday, the buttery sheath a gift from his mother. Harmonious together, just like his parents. It had been one of his favorite presents, next to a spotted steed that had pranced and snorted until he had galloped through the fields and across the great expanse of sand that gave way to the beach. _Özgür ruh,_ he later named her. _Free spirit._

She lived up to her name and served him well. She did not tire easily when it came to long journeys, and when there were attacks she did not run unless told to. Instead she kicked and snarled as much as a horse could, doing just as much damage to his opponents as Eren did, if not more. His mother told him they had a great bond, and Eren did his best to uphold it, bandaging her scrapes and burns and making sure she got the best feed and fresh water every day. When the fruits were plucked from the trees he made sure to steal the juiciest treat he could find, the servants looking the other way with a smile. The kingdom knew of his fondness for his horse, and it only endeared him to them. _Compassionate,_ they called him. _The prince will make a good ruler one day._

His parents were proud.

His compassion stretched to other creatures as well. When the water nymphs grew parched and dry, he tore down the dam blocking their water and helped the humans that had made it build a bridge instead. When the farmers struggled with getting their crop seeded in time, Eren was out in the fields, a heavy bag of seed on his back as he helped dig the small trenches that would house the food both he and his people feasted on. Soon, his parents weren’t the only ones that were proud.

Stories of Grisha and Carla’s son spread through the lands, and soon Eren’s suitors began pouring in. He dealt with it all as gracefully as he could manage, knowing what it might cost his parents if the visiting kingdoms felt that they were slighted in any way. Grisha had worked hard to build his kingdom up, and Eren did not want to tear it apart with war. The women and men that came to see him left charmed, but without his hand. Some called him a witch, claiming he casted spells of supplication with his beauty. Eren called those people ridiculous. If he was a witch he would never waste his powers on something so stupid.   

His parent’s took it all in stride, though his father warned him that the suitors would not stop until he chose someone. Eren was in no rush for love. He yearned to explore the world as his mother did, though he knew he did not have as much freedom as she had. He was a prince meant to one day be future king. It was dangerous for him to go off alone. If someone didn’t try to kill him for his wealth alone, they would surely kidnap him for his beauty, something his mother warned of with haunted eyes. Sometimes he would glimpse the scars marking her skin, and his gut would lurch with the reminder of what some people could do to others.

It was not his only reminder.

The day that it happened was a hot one. Sweat beaded Eren’s brow even as he lounged inside the castle, his vest open wide in an effort to get some relief from the heat. There was a commotion in the hall, and he straightened, eyes watching in interest as several guards escorted a small figure into the throne room. Eren was curious at the flashy fabrics the visitor wore. Royals would come with an entourage while this stranger was alone.

Eren stretched lazily before jumping down from his perch, padding in the opposite direction of the throne room. He made his way through the halls, slipping inside a plain room and then through the hidden passage in its wall. The small hall was stuffy as he walked, and Eren found himself growing uncomfortably sweaty. It was a blessing when he reached the final door, slipping into the throne room unseen to watch from the shadows. He’d used the entry often after finding it, usually to decide whether he wanted to meet a visitor right away or avoid them for as long as possible. Unfortunately, the passage took longer than simply coming in the door, and Eren came in at the tailend of the discussion.

“You’re welcome here, Levi,” his mother was saying, eyes fixed on the man kneeling before their throne. “We’ll do what we can to help.”

“We’ve long since had a feud with the kingdom of Rose,” Grisha agreed, a hand in one of his wife’s. “If they’ve done what you say they’ve gone too far this time. We can’t just simply sit back and watch any longer.”

“Thank you, your highnesses,” a low voice said. It was expressionless and deep, and Eren wished he could look properly at their guest without the danger of being seen. “Your kindness is appreciated.”

He could see a flash of his mother’s smile before Eren’s curiosity was cut short in the face of embarrassment. “Eren, dear, could you come out and introduce yourself to our guest? I’d like you to show him around.” Reluctantly, Eren came out from behind the pillar he’d been standing behind, feeling like a scolded child.

“Yes, mother,” he sighed, coming to stand beside Carla’s throne. She shot him an amused look.

“I want you to take him to the healer’s quarters once you’re done. He’s to fill in the position for now.”

Eren nodded. He took in her instructions as he looked to this ‘Levi.’ He’d gotten up off the floor, and was straightening the cloth belts that draped from his hips in decoration. His skin was painted in silver and gold, and Eren was surprised to see the witch’s runes written there. Their healer’s had often been witches, though they never seemed to stay long. Eren wondered what had happened to bring the man to them.

Almost as if hearing his thoughts, Levi looked up, and promptly erased any and all focus Eren had had on his mother’s words. The stranger’s eyes bore into him, and Eren was suddenly struck with the memory of a boy hidden behind a witch, an eye of silver and another of the whitest of clouds.

He would never forget those eyes.

* * *

“Here’s the healer’s quarters,” Eren said, opening a sturdy wooden door to let Levi in. “My mother says you can do whatever you wish to it. There’s a library attached as well as a bedroom and bathroom. You’re a little bit farther from the kitchen but they ring a starting bell and then a warning bell for when meals are about to start and end so you should be fine.”

He continued on in autopilot, showing Levi the extent of his quarters, and who he could talk to should he need any supplies. His mind was racing, wondering if the witch remembered him. They hadn’t spoken, and yet, their brief lock of eyes so long ago had seemed to haunt Eren. He had looked for the boy in the years following that day, but he had found no one with the same eyes. It made sense why he hadn’t, if Levi had been in Rose this whole time.

When everything had been said, and Eren could find no other reason to stay, he flashed a smile that couldn’t quite mask his disappointment. “If you have no more questions I’ll leave you to rest. I’m sure you’re tired from your journey.”

Levi didn’t look up, already unpacking what meager belongings he seemed to have. Eren grimaced, turning to leave. “They tell tales of you in Rose,” Levi said from behind him. “They say you’re curious about the magics; that you hold no grievances towards any species.”

Eren frowned, looking for a question in those words. “...so?” he finally asked.

Levi shrugged. His shoulders looked so small for someone with so much presence. “I guess you could say I was curious myself. I hope the stories don’t lie.”

Eren didn’t know what to say to that, so instead he said goodnight.

“Goodnight, your highness,” was Levi’s answer. The look in those startling eyes made Eren think that there was a joke he was missing.

* * *

His parent’s tasked him with helping Levi familiarize himself with the kingdom. He still could not quite figure out what had brought Levi to them, other than that something had happened to a fellow witch in Rose and his parent’s were very worried. Eren wondered if it was the woman he’d seen Levi with last time, though he could not figure out a way to ask. Levi seemed to like his privacy. When asked questions about his life he would answer in simple sentences that made Eren all the more curious to ask more.

They grew acquainted with one another with the passing weeks, and slowly, Eren forgot to wonder if Levi remembered him. What did it really matter? He knew him now. Eren was a bit embarrassed about his small obsession anyways, and did not want to be the one to bring it up if Levi did not. The man seemed to enjoy making him speechless, and he would surely tease Eren endlessly if that were so. So, Eren let it go.

He grew used to Levi’s mismatched gaze, until he no longer struggled to hold it. He could not tell if it was blindness or an old wound, but Levi never acted like it hurt, and he certainly never acted like it hindered him.

Eren had tried simple tests. When Levi asked for a certain herb, Eren would toss it from the direction of his white eye to see if he would catch it. When Levi was otherwise engaged, Eren would sit on the side of his white eye and try to get his attention. Eventually, the witch seemed to grow tired of the game.

“Ask me if I’m blind,” Levi said, swinging his head to glare at Eren. “or cease your foolish games. I do not care which, just that you do one of them. I don’t have the patience to baby you.”

Eren blushed, embarrassed at the reprimand. Given the chance though, he could not resist asking. “Are you blind?”

Levi snorted, turning back to his task. “No.”

“No?” Eren echoed.

“No,” Levi said simply.

He frowned. “Then what’s wr--” Eren coughed when the witch looked at him, as if daring him to use the word. “Why is it white?” He said instead.

“I was wounded as a child,” Levi told him, satisfied with the wording of the question. “Magic was used to heal it. It changed the color.”

Eren nodded. Such a simple answer to a question that had haunted him for years. It seemed rather anticlimactic. “You can still see properly?”

“As well as you can,” Levi remarked, pouring the paste he’d made into a small jar. He sealed it with a muttered word, the smell of melted wax filling the air. “Now, enough with the questions. I’m here to work, not entertain you with my past. Either help or leave.”

The words would have sounded brisk and unwelcoming a few weeks ago. Now Eren simply smiled, handing Levi another jar.

* * *

In the following months they grew closer, until Eren would go so far as to say they were friends. He joined Levi in his quarters often, helping to grind pastes and stock the shelves. He took Levi riding when he needed ingredients for his potions, and watched in awe when the man did even the smallest of magics. Levi would always smile, a small quirk of his lips, at the look on Eren’s face, until he had to shoo the prince away to be left in peace. Eren would always go good naturedly, knowing Levi didn’t mean anything cruel by it. Levi was a man that liked his space, and Eren gave it to him when he asked.

Eventually, Eren got the full answer as to why the witch was living in the castle, and he listened somberly. Hanji, who Eren thought was the witch he’d seen the other man with so long ago based on description, had been scheduled to perform for the king. Levi had been on his way to join her when he had heard that she had been imprisoned, though no one could tell him why. He’d managed to get a message to her, and she had told him that Rose was planning something with magic, though she did not know what. They’d lost contact after that and Levi had fled before he too, could be captured. Eren had understood then why his parents were worried. They talked of war when they thought he couldn’t hear, speculating and trying to reason Rose’s actions.

“We’ll get her back,” Eren had said boldly. “My parent’s won’t leave her to rot.”

Levi had given a weary smile. “I hope you’re right.”

Eren had practiced battle with even more ferocity then, determined not to be caught unaware should war come. In the mornings he fought, washing up around the time lunch came before joining Levi in the evenings. He had other things to do of course, tutors and skills he was meant to learn, but they didn’t matter as much to him. They went by fast and with little thought. Eren had no patience for classroom learning.

It was as Levi’s visit hit its sixth month that Eren grew ill, fever stricken and unable to get out of bed. Levi was by his bedside daily, working to calm the violent sweats and dark dreams that consumed the prince. Eren watched him dazedly as magic spun from his fingers, bright and as brilliant as the stars at night. Levi’s eyes would glow down at him, his fingers cool and gentle on Eren’s forehead as he sought to calm the illness inside of him.

“Your people need you, Eren,” Levi told him, as Eren was wracked with pain, unable to move or keep anything down for very long. His hands hovered over Eren, the paint on his skin glowing bright. “Don’t give up. You can survive this. I have faith in you.”

* * *

When Eren awoke, three weeks later, weak but otherwise alright, he was convinced that it had been a dream. The look in Levi’s eyes when he saw that Eren was alright told him otherwise.

The rest of the month was a battle. Levi had Eren taking potions almost every day to make sure his body did not succumb to sickness again. Eren grew tired of the way everyone fretted over him, and stole away with Levi more and more. Levi did not watch his every move as if waiting for him to drop. Levi let him push himself and then told him to quit being an idiot and sit down when it was too much. When Eren complained that he was suffocating in the castle, Levi put him on _Özgür ruh_ and rode behind him, his arm warm around Eren’s waist. Eren hadn’t ridden with another person since he’d been a child, but he had welcomed Levi’s closeness, relaxing back against his chest.

“I do remember,” Levi said, when they were sitting in the grass, Eren’s horse grazing beside them.

“What?” Eren asked in confusion.

“In your fever, you asked if I remembered you,” Levi said, looking over at Eren with calm eyes. There was a piece of hair falling out of his scarf, sticking up at an odd angle. Eren resisted the urge to tuck it back into place. “I do.”

Eren stared at him for a long time. “Oh,” he said, when Levi had long since turned away. _Oh_.

* * *

Levi was often busy with other patients when Eren visited, though he never told him to leave. Eren knew when he was better sticking around and when he wasn’t. This time, he stayed, needing not only the potion Levi had been making for him, but also to talk to his friend about his parent’s plans for Hanji. They’d decided to call a council with the ruler of Rose before doing anything drastic. It was a smart plan, but it could end badly should Rose not be peaceful in intent.

Eren sighed softly, settling heavily into Levi’s chair. He reached absentmindedly for the vial that contained his medicine, making a face at the taste. He set it down on the table once he was done, giving a slow stretch. If he had looked he would have seen that the vial he had been meant to take sat beside the now empty one.

Instead, he rested his chin on a hand and closed his eyes.

* * *

Eren woke up to a hand shaking his shoulders, Levi’s voice urgent in his ear. He was spewing a mix of insult and worry, which is what told Eren that something was wrong. Levi liked watching people twist themselves into circles with veiled insults. If he was plainly spewing them someone had to be in deep trouble.

“I’m going,” he grumbled, swiping half heartedly at Levi. He felt strange, almost weak limbed as he rubbed at his eyes. It made him frown, blinking his eyes open dazedly. “I feel weird. Are you sure the potion wasn’t actually poison this time?”

“No, it wasn’t,” Levi snapped. He was on his knees, Eren realized with a start, staring uncomprehendingly at Levi’s legs. His head was about level with Eren’s chest right now. “It was something far worse. I should have started labelling things when you first started snooping around here, but knowing you it wouldn’t have helped. You would have taken it anyways like an idiot--”

Levi’s words stopped abruptly as Eren finally focused on Levi’s face, which was good since Eren wasn’t comprehending much at the moment. He stared at the witch, heart beginning to race the longer their eyes held. His hands grew sweaty, something that hadn’t happened since he was a nervous boy. His cheeks flushed as well, and Eren wiped his hands on his pants before he reached for Levi’s face. “Levi,” he said, almost wonderingly. There was a strange feeling inside of him, bubbling up to the surface in little spurts that made him dizzy all over again. “Levi,” he said again.

“Eren,” Levi said cautiously, making the prince’s heart give an excited jump. “You took the wrong medication. I need you to tell me how you’re feeling right now.”

“Dizzy,” Eren said, feeling a wave of giggles bubble up from his lips. He felt exhilarated, fingers tracing the lines of Levi’s face; the softness of his scarf; the paint that climbed up his jaw. His skin was so soft, Eren marveled. So different from his own too. Like ice against the sand. There was hardly any color to him other than the paint on his skin and the pinkness of his lips. Eren froze at the thought, as if he hadn’t fully comprehended before that Levi did indeed have lips. Eren looked them over now, his thumb tracing over the soft swells of flesh. Levi was letting him for some reason, though his mouth was shaping words around the light pressure of the prince’s touch. “I want to kiss you,” he realized, with an almost drunk grin. He giggled some more. “Levi, I want to kiss you. Isn’t that funny?”

Levi sighed, reaching up to tug Eren’s hands away. “Very,” he said dryly, standing.

That was worse, Eren realized, staring at the skin of Levi’s stomach, at the way his hips curved and the paint that traced over the flesh. His belly was even whiter than the rest of him, having seen less of the sun than his face and shoulders. It was like the fish Eren sometimes saw in the rivers, their underbellies so white they reflected the sun off their scales. Eren wanted to kiss that too. “Levi, what’s happening?” He asked, even as his hands sought out the witch’s hips. Levi danced away when he realized what was happening, and a strange whine rose in Eren’s throat.

He flushed.

“You took a love potion, you idiot boy,” Levi snapped, circling around the table warily to look through his books. “Now I have to figure out a way to fix it.”

“Love,” Eren said dumbly. So that was the warmth in his chest. And then he registered what else Levi had said. “I’m not a boy,” he huffed. “I’m almost as old as you. And what do you mean fix it? You mean this is permanent?”

“Of course not,” Levi dismissed. “The potion will leave your system in a week or so. It’s only meant to bring the possibility of love into the equation. When it ends you’ll go back to your normal self and you’ll realize you don’t want to kiss me at all.”

Eren doubted that. Now that he had touched Levi’s lips, had looked at Levi and wanted to touch, to taste, to feel… He did not think he would go back to not wanting that, even without the potion. “What if it doesn’t?” He asked fearfully.

Levi frowned, looking up at him. They held each other’s gazes for a long time, before Levi looked back down at his book with a furrow in his brow. “It will,” he said.

* * *

The king and queen were told that Eren was ill again, and that he had to be kept quarantined for their safety. They stayed away reluctantly at the news, trusting in Levi to make their son well again. Eren was disgruntled. “That means I have to be stuck inside for another week,” he complained. “I thought you didn’t want me around anyways?”

“I can’t have you stumbling around the kingdom professing your love for me,” Levi retorted. He had found no answer in his books, no way to speed the process of getting the magic out of Eren’s system.

“I wouldn’t,” Eren started to argue, before he realized that in the state that he was in, he really really would. He blushed, slumping down onto Levi’s desk with a pout. “Is it really such a bad thing?”

“You’re joking,” Levi said, flashing him an exasperated look. “Surely you’re not so far gone as to not see the harm that could do.”

Eren shrugged, flashing a sheepish smile.

“The mother help me,” Levi muttered, shaking his head. He lifted a hand to his temple as if to stave off a headache. Sure enough, the glow of his magic hit his temple. “You’d probably try to do something foolish like praise my eyes.”

He perked up, a wide grin tugging at his lips. “They’re beautiful,” he gushed eagerly, giving a little nod. “They used to scare me but now I see them for what they are.”

Levi sighed. “And what is that, your highness?”

Levi only used that title when he was humoring Eren, though it didn’t stop the prince in his confession. “A part of you. And I love--”

The witch held up a hand, and Eren’s mouth snapped shut with it, unable to open. Eren shot him an accusing look, hands lifting as if to peal off the magic. “Don’t use that word,” Levi growled. “I don’t care what ridiculous things come out of your mouth, but do not say something so significant when you do not mean it.”

Eren wanted to argue, to say that he _did_ mean it, but he knew that it was only the potion. He gave a reluctant nod instead.

“Good,” Levi said, releasing Eren’s mouth. “Let’s get to work then. I have other patients to attend to other than a foolish prince.”

* * *

The following days proved difficult for Eren. Each hour the potion seemed to grow more and more potent, until Levi had to glue him to a chair with magic so that Eren would not grope him. Eren had whined and pleaded to be let out, to touch Levi and love him the way that he wanted, but Levi had refused. Eventually, Eren had calmed somewhat, and had resigned himself to grinding herbs and doing whatever else Levi told him to do.

He grew excited every time Levi drew near. The witch’s touch made Eren ache with desire, body singing until even the slightest touch had Eren’s eyes rolling into the back of his head in ecstasy. On the fifth day Levi had to take away Eren’s voice again. Every sentence was an attempted declaration, full of false love and compliments. On the sixth day Eren was sullen, giving Levi the look of a kicked puppy every time he ignored his attempts to profess his feelings. The seventh Levi had to put him to sleep, as Eren began to cry, unable to comprehend why Levi was being so cruel.

It was not something Levi enjoyed, seeing Eren cry, and he reasoned that it was better for them both if Eren slept off the last day.

Levi sat at his bedside throughout the night, wanting to make sure everything was alright when Eren awoke. The look Eren gave him when his eyes opened, wary and troubled, made Levi sure that the other male was back to normal, though it did nothing to ease the ache in his chest. Eren had been a good friend and he did not wish for that to end.

“Can I leave now?” Eren asked, voice hoarse from the crying he’d done before Levi had made him sleep.

Levi nodded silently. “I’ll tell your parents you’ve recovered. No one will bother you today.” It was the least Levi could do.

The prince bit his lip, getting out of the bed slowly. He watched Levi, as one would watch a rabid animal, though he hesitated in the doorway. Levi stared back, not sure what he was expecting Eren to say. Eventually, Eren slipped away without a word, and the disappointment in Levi bloomed like a flower in the summer sun.

* * *

 

Eren stayed away for several weeks, though Levi did not begrudge him. _The time would do him good,_ Levi told himself. It meant that none of the potion would linger. He ignored the ache in his chest at the knowledge. It had not been real, had not been Eren, and yet the memories still haunted him.

At night he felt the phantom of Eren’s touch against his lips. Saw the way his eyes followed his figure hungrily. Hands would touch his hips before Levi pushed them away, sometimes too slow to stop Eren from sliding them up his stomach to trace his chest, or lower to feel the soft skin beneath his pants. Levi’s lips would twist bitterly when he opened his eyes, remembering just why he had pulled away in the first place.

There had been more stories of Eren than he had told the other male. Some said he was a witch in hiding. He cast spells on the weak and flaunted his beauty before their weak hearts. _It was what kept him so young, so vibrant, so alive,_ they said.

Eren was no witch, of that Levi was sure, but the ache in his chest had everything to do with the prince with eyes of emeralds and skin kissed by the sun. He was glad he had not let Eren tell him that he loved him.

* * *

If Carla and Grisha noticed anything different between them, they did not say anything. The queen was as warm as ever; the king as generous. They met with the ruler of Rose, a man with a receding hairline and eyes beady like a rat’s. The king wanted gold in exchange for Hanji, and Levi despaired at the news. He did not have nearly enough money to pay for his friend, and probably would not earn enough in his entire lifetime. Carla and Grisha paid it for him, bringing the witch back from Rose and into Levi’s arms.

Hanji teased him later for it. For the way he had clung to her, arms tight around her waist and head pushed into her breasts. She had stunk of the dungeon and was streaked with filth and he had not cared. He had been with her since a child, and living a year without her had been harder than he had ever imagined.

He would tease her back for the way she had clutched at him in turn, nose buried in his hair and eyes watery around the edges. Later, when she was clean and fed and clothed in new fabrics of color, they would talk quietly and say what had not been said. _I missed you._

Levi did not tell her about Eren, or the way he still ached when he was alone. He did not tell her that in payment for her freedom he would be working in the kingdom when he would rather be anywhere but. He didn’t want to see Eren across the room, or walking past in the hall. He didn’t want to hear someone else make him laugh, or see him smile at a stranger. Levi wanted to be near his friend, to tease and laugh and smile together once again. If he couldn’t at least have that then he would rather flee.

* * *

Eren found him a few days after Hanji had settled in. Levi thought he had to have planned it since he came just a few minutes after the other witch had left to explore the castle. Levi glanced up at him before looking back down to the herbs he was tying up to dry. “Are you sick?” He asked casually. Levi tried not to feel too pleased when Eren flinched, a look of guilt on his face.

“No,” Eren said. “I, um, I’m not sick.”

“How eloquent of a prince,” Levi mocked, remembering vividly the nights of aching for even this. He was not sorry for the hurt on Eren’s face. Eren had hurt him as well. He swallowed at the reminder, standing abruptly to hang the bundle of plants. “The stories about you exaggerate greatly.”

Eren stepped further into the room, wringing his hands. He looked at Levi as if he were a rabid animal again, and Levi felt a fresh wave of hurt and anger all in one. Eren had done this to them, and here he was looking at Levi with wounded eyes. “Please listen,” he begged. “I came to apologize.”

Levi’s head lifted, though he couldn’t quite look at Eren. Not directly. He couldn’t have him so close again only to lose him. “For what?” He asked bitterly. “Ignoring me? Slipping into the room whenever I’m away to get your medicine? Leaving herbs at my door instead of collecting them with me?”

The wounded look was growing worse, as was the guilt. “All of those things,” Eren said, looking away. It fed the anger in Levi like blood would a wild beast. He wanted Eren to look at him. Wanted him to look in his eyes and say it. Almost as if hearing the thought, Eren looked up. He took a deep breath, meeting Levi’s gaze head on. “I’m sorry, Levi. I was confused after the potion and I didn’t want you to get uncomfortable, or make things worse between us. I’d like to be friends again if that’s okay with you.”

“Friends,” Levi echoed, feeling the ache in his chest recede a bit.

Eren smiled hesitantly. “Friends,” he agreed. He took a hesitant step forward. “Is that okay with you?”

The witch sighed. “Sit down,” he said, gesturing to the table. “We’ve got work to do.”

* * *

Hanji took a liking to Eren right away. They were alike in their kindness, and in the way that they put others at ease. They had different ways of going about it of course, Hanji in her ridiculous antics, and Eren in his unknowing charm, but Levi saw the similarities. They liked to gang up on him, Hanji telling stories of the past and Eren filling the witch on in what had happened while she had been imprisoned.

The knowing look in her eyes when he looked to Eren, or when Eren looked to him, made Levi want to shield himself from her gaze. One night, when Eren had fallen asleep in Levi’s bed, she sat beside him at the table.

“Don’t,” he said, aware of what she was going to say even before she said it.

Hanji ignored the plea. “You like him,” she said, voice soft despite the fact that the door to the bedroom was closed. “And he likes you.”

“He is a prince,” is all Levi managed to say, swallowing sharply.

She smiled. “And you are a witch. Now we’ve both stated the obvious.”

Levi’s fingers curled, finding the dips and blemishes in the wood of the table even in so little light. He wished it was Eren’s skin beneath his hand instead. “He took a love potion. His feelings aren’t real.”

Hanji sighed. She was silent for a long time, before slowly she got up. She leaned over, pulling his head to her chest. His hair was down and out of his scarf, and she stroked the long strands. Suddenly, Levi felt like a child again, and he tried to pretend that it was rain wetting the cloth covering her breasts and not his tears. “You and I both know that’s not true,” she murmured, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Levi closed his eyes and cried.

* * *

Things got better between Levi and Eren, until it was as if nothing had ever happened. Eren no longer hesitated when it came to familiar touches, and Levi did not fear that every word out of Eren’s mouth would rip him into two. The months passed as their friendship deepened further, and soon two years had passed instead of one.

“You used to travel around,” Eren said once, his feet dangling off a rock and into the sea. “Do you miss it?”

Levi thought carefully about his answer. “I enjoy the palace,” he said, dragging his toes across the surface of the water. Tiny fish chased after them, and Levi smiled briefly at the game. “If I had to choose somewhere to be I would stay.” The words _because of you_ lingered on his tongue, and Levi swallowed them back like water.

Eren smiled, though Levi couldn’t tell if he was pleased. “That’s a very diplomatic answer.”

“I’m a very diplomatic man,” Levi answered teasingly.

The prince laughed, throat arching up to the sky as he threw his head back. If Levi ached to kiss that expanse of skin he did not say. “I would not stay,” Eren declared. “I want to see the world, like my mother did.”

Disappointment sat heavy on Levi’s skin, and he tried to tell himself that Eren meant nothing by the words.

Eren looked over at him, nudging Levi’s leg with a foot. He was careful not to get the paint there wet. “I would want you to come with me, of course,” he told him, his own tone teasing as well. “I might need a healer.”

Levi chuckled, the words like salve to his heart. “If I didn’t know any better I’d say that was a proposal.”

Eren looked back towards the ocean, his cheeks coloring. “Maybe it is,” he said. Levi was not given time to comprehend that before Eren was leaping to his feet, holding a hand out to Levi. “We should head back. It’s almost time to eat.”

The witch nodded, too shellshocked to do much more than follow after Eren. Hanji’s words rang in his head. _You and I both know that’s not true._ Levi swallowed and reminded himself that Eren was a prince. The excuse was growing weaker and weaker the more often he used it.

* * *

The older Eren got, the more suitors that came in. His beauty did not diminish with growing age, but only grew brighter, and everyone wanted Shiganshina’s prince to marry into their family. Levi did his best not to be jealous when they flung themselves at Eren, eager for his attention, but he could not help it. He had no claim to Eren, no title to their relationship other than friendship and still he…

Levi locked himself in his room when the suitors visited, and did not come out until they were gone. Every newcomer set off a fear within him, of Eren picking someone else instead of him, and Levi resolved to do something. He could not live like this. Could not walk on tiptoe around Eren for fear of ruining their relationship. He wanted Eren and it was time to admit that. If Eren wanted him he would stay. If not, he would figure out a way to pay back the king and queen of Shiganshina and be on his way.

* * *

Eren sighed in relief as the final party of his recent suitor left the palace gates. This visit had been tedious, full of wanton gazes and eager touches. Eren had done his best to be polite, warding off wandering hands with a few teasing words of refusal and dealing with incessant chatter. All he had wanted was to have Levi by his side, eyes rolling at the insincere flattery that dripped from the woman’s voice like honey. Levi was locked away in his room however, as he always seemed to be when these visitors came. Eren had thought it to be some strange custom at first, before it had happened again and again. Then he had just grown tired. This game he and Levi danced was growing old. He wanted the witch, had agonized over it for months. He’d worried that the potion had clouded his judgement, that he had been insincere in his feelings. When nothing had helped ease the want inside of him he had known it was no potion. How long it would have taken him to realize what he felt for the witch without the potion was a mystery. One that Eren did not want to know the answer to. He wanted Levi now, not later, and it was creating a void inside of himself the longer he waited.

A guard entered the room, announcing that Levi wished to speak to the king and queen, as well as the prince. The three of them shared puzzled glances, though Grisha told the guard to let him in. Eren’s breath was stolen as Levi entered. He had only ever seen the witch in his normal attire, and in the simplest of paint. This was like nothing he had ever seen.

Intricate symbols and patterns wove across Levi’s skin, running up his arms and over the sharp jut of his shoulders. Jewelry was not the way of his people, Levi had once said, and yet, the paint on his skin could almost be mistaken as chains of gold, creating a masterpiece out of his body. It wrapped around his neck, climbing up the edges of his jaw to come to a stop. His hair was up in a gold scarf, a few strands falling around gold rimmed eyes that seemed to gleam like glass in the throne room. He wore a small slip of cloth around his neck and shoulders, the pale expanse of stomach that Eren had admired so often before covered in even more paint. It went down past his hips, and Eren felt his thoughts stutter when the pants began before the paint ended. He wanted to see what designs Levi had drawn there, wanted to trace them with hand and mouth until he could see them with his eyes closed.

Eren shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as Levi stopped before them. “My king and queen,” he said, bowing to them in deference. His eyes caught Eren’s, stealing his breath away. “My prince. I have come to ask you if you would humor me in a request.”

“You’re a welcome guest here, Levi,” Grisha said, giving a nod. “Speak your mind.”

Levi flashed a small smile, straightening back up. “I’m afraid the words I have to say are more for your son, though I hope you do not take offense. You see, I’d like to court the prince.”

The two rulers did not look very shocked. Eren felt as if his world was spinning. The clothes, the paint, the care Levi had put into his appearance… Eren should have realized what was happening. It was customary to show off one’s power and wealth so that one could decide whether it was worth going through a courting or not.

Carla exchanged a look with Grisha. “Go on.”

“I have little wealth other than what you have already given me,” Levi said, standing as tall and proud as any king. “I cannot offer riches, or exotic pets. I do not even have a kingdom. However, I have my power, and my knowledge. If the prince will have me I will use them in Shiganshina’s name for as long as I live, protecting and healing her people.” His voice softened, eyes seeking out only Eren. “And I will vow to love him always, and go wherever he wishes. Be that across the lands or across the seas.”

Eren swallowed, feeling tears of happiness burn his eyes. He could not speak, he feared he would only cry instead.

“Well?” Grisha said, looking to his son when he was sure Levi was finished. “Do you wish to accept Levi’s offer?”

Eren glanced between his parents, eyes flicking from them to Levi and back. Carla flashed him a reassuring smile, and Grisha waited patiently for an answer. Levi stood as tall and strong as before, but with a vulnerable look in his eyes that told Eren that he meant every word. “I accept,” Eren whispered. He cleared his throat, swiping at his eyes. “Yes,” he said, loud enough for Levi to hear him this time. “It took you long enough.”

Levi flashed a wide smile, perhaps the largest one Eren had ever received. “I’m a bit slow,” he admitted. “I’ll make it up to you.”

Eren laughed, making his way down to Levi. He didn’t care about propriety or rules. Levi had just admitted that he loved him. He flung his arms around the witch, pulling him close. Levi was shorter than him, which was something that had taken some getting used to. Levi had such a large presence, it was hard to think that someone like that could be so small, but somehow it only made Eren’s chest warm all the more. Levi’s hands settled on Eren’s hips, and his mismatched eyes smiled up at the prince, brighter than Eren had ever seen. He was almost sorry to see them close, but then Levi’s mouth was on his, and he could not find it in himself to care. “Can I tell you I love you now?” Eren murmured against the other male’s mouth. Levi’s laughter was like sunshine, and Eren drank it up eagerly.

“Yes, your highness,” Levi said affectionately, pulling Eren into another kiss. “You can.”


End file.
